The Fujifilm FinePix XP80 is this years update to the XP70 and is a 15m waterproof, shockproof, dustproof and freezeproof digital camera with a wide-angle 5x optical zoom lens and built in Wi-Fi.

Fujifilm FinePix XP80 Features

The Fujifilm FinePix XP80 features a 16 megapixel BSI CMOS sensor, a wide-angle 5x optical zoom lens, equivalent to 28-140mm in 35mm terms, and optical image stabilisation to aid taking photos in less than ideal light.

The camera has been updated to include a new Wi-Fi remote shooting feature, making it compatible with the Fujifilm Remote Shooting app. Interval timer shooting has been added as well as additional advanced filters. On the rear of the camera is a 2.7inch screen with an anti-reflective coating to help make it easier to see outdoors.

The XP80 is waterproof to 15 metres, drop-proof from 1.75 metres, and freezeproof to -10C, the camera should be able to withstand almost anything you can throw at it. The specified waterproof depth should even be suitable for some scuba diving or snorkelling activities without any additional protection. The seals also help to protect against the ingress of dust into the camera.

FullHD video is recorded at 60 / 30 frames per second and optical zoom is available during recording. Video in files are encoded in H.264 MOV format, which should ensure decent quality video with reasonable file sizes. The camera can shoot at 10fps at full resolution.

Key Features

16 megapixel BSI-CMOS sensor

5x optical zoom lens, 28mm-140mm equivalent

Optical image stabilisation (sensor shift type)

2.7inch screen, 460k dots

Waterproof (15m) / freezeproof (-10C)

Shockproof (1.75m drop)

1080p video at 60/30fps

Digital filters

ISO100-ISO3200 plus ISO6400 at reduced image size

Up to 10fps continuous shooting

Available as black, blue, yellow, purple

Fujifilm FinePix XP80 Handling

The Fujifilm FinePix XP80 feels fairly well built with a plastic body, a rubber grip on the front of the camera and raised dots on the rear for your thumb. A wrist strap is provided and can easily be tightened for extra security. The shutter button on top of the camera is large and sits alongside a recessed power button and a video recording button. The shutter button feels precise, making half-pressing for focus easy.

Compartments for battery, memory card, USB and HDMI connections are located behind a tough locking flap on the side of the camera. The latch that holds this flap closed is easy to operate, thanks to the large chunky dial that locks the door firmly shut.

Menus – To change settings you can press the menu button, located within the circular 4-way controller on the rear and this will bring up settings that will be familiar to anyone who has used a Fuji compact camera before. The menus are laid out well, making it easy to find common settings, with the first option letting you change the shooting mode.

Fujifilm Remote Camera Application

Camera Remote

Playback

Wi-Fi features - The Fujifilm XP80 comes equipped with Wi-Fi, to allow remote control, as well as letting you transfer images to your smartphone or tablet via the free Fujifilm Remote camera app, or to your PC with the Fujifilm PC Autosave software. The app works quickly, making it easy to transfer images to your devices, and remote control lets you adjust zoom and a few other settings including flash.

Battery life - Battery life is rated at 210 shots according to Fujifilm / CIPA test results, which isn't overly impressive when compared to the battery performance of some similar cameras, which typically take around 300 shots per charge.

Speed - We took a number of shots to test the camera's responsiveness, from switch on to first photo, shot to shot, focusing speed etc. We take a number of shots and then use the average to ensure accurate and consistent tests, making it easy to compare with other cameras.

Shutter Response

0.1secs

Wide - Focus / Shutter Response

0.35secs

Full zoom - Focus / Shutter Response

0.3secs

Switch on Time to Taking a Photo

2.4secs

Shot to Shot without Flash

0.9secs

Shot to Shot with Flash

1.6secs

Continuous Shooting - JPEG
(shots before stopping)

10fps (10 shots)

Shutter response is reasonable, and focus speed is generally good. A good amount of shots can be taken with continuous shooting before the camera stops shooting.

Fujifilm FinePix XP80 Performance

The performance section is where we look at the image quality performance of the camera. Additional sample photos and product shots are available in the Equipment Database, where you can add your own review, photos and product ratings.

Fujifilm FinePix XP80 Sample Photos

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Sample Photos - Portrait photos with flash are free of red-eye, although we struggled to get a particularly sharp photo. Taking photos in bright sunny conditions give images with good colour and saturation. However, as the camera struggles in less than perfect lighting, we were not always impressed with picture quality, and often had to take a number of photos before we got a good shot. Images should be fine for sharing on the web via social networking.

Fujifilm FinePix XP80 Lens test images

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Lens Performance - The 5x zoom range covers a useful range of focal lengths, from wide-angle to telephoto however, we found that image quality at the telephoto end of the lens was often disappointing. Images taken with the sun in the frame or near the frame can be susceptible to lens flare. Macro focus is reasonable with the camera focusing on subjects close to the camera.

Fujifilm FinePix XP80 ISO test images

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ISO Noise Performance - Noise is fairly low in between ISO100 and ISO400. Beyond this, at ISO800 and ISO1600 noise starts to reduce detail as the camera's noise reduction system attempts to keep images looking smooth. ISO3200 images show high levels of noise, and low levels of detail. Images shot at ISO6400 are taken at a reduced resolution however, they may be fine for sharing on the web.

Fujifilm FinePix XP80 White-balance test images

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White Balance Performance - Auto White Balance (AWB) gives a slightly warm result under tungsten lighting, with the tungsten preset giving a more accurate result. AWB performs well under fluorescent lights, with the fluorescent presets giving a magenta colour cast.

Panoramic | 1/550 sec | f/6.2 | 5.0 mm | ISO 100

Panorama mode - The camera features an automatic panoramic mode, where you simply press the shutter release button and pan the camera from one side to the other. Results are good, and well stitched together, although the resolution is quite low.

Fujifilm FinePix XP80 Digital filters

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Digital Filters - There are a number of advanced filters available to take creative shots, as well as pro low-light and HDR modes, however the camera does not feature Fujifilm's film simulation modes (such as Velvia, Astia etc), instead it features options for Standard colour, Chrome, Black and White and Sepia.

Video - The camera records 1080p video at 60fps with sound, and optical zoom is available during recording. Image stabilisation helps keep the shot reasonably steady while recording. Video quality is good for a compact camera.

Value For Money

The Fujifilm Finepix XP80 is available for £145 which makes it very good value for money, as one of the cheapest waterproof cameras with Wi-Fi. If your budget is more limited, you could look at the Nikon Coolpix S33 (10m waterproof), which is available for around £89.

Fujifilm FinePix XP80 Verdict

The Fujifilm FinePix XP80 has a good number of features considering the relatively low price for a waterproof compact camera, including Wi-Fi with remote control, fullHD video, and 10fps continuous shooting. However, we found image quality disappointing unless you were shooting in good conditions. If you plan on taking this camera on holiday with you to a hot and sunny destination, then you should get good results that are suitable for sharing on the web, but in colder climates you may be better looking elsewhere.